▼ In this study, structure-property relationships in the ironclad beetle (Zopherus nodulosus haldemani) exoskeleton are quantified to develop novel bio-inspired impact resistance technologies. The hierarchical structure of this exoskeleton was observed at various length scales for both the ironclad beetle pronotum and elytron. The exocuticle and endocuticle layers provide the bulk of the structural integrity and consist of chitin-fiber planes arranged in a Bouligand structure. The pronotum consists of a layered structure, while elytron consists of an extra layer with tunnel-like voids running along the anteroposterior axis along with smaller interconnecting tunnel-like voids in the lateral plane. Energy dispersive X-ray diffraction revealed the existence of minerals such as calcium carbonate, iron oxide, zinc oxide, and manganese oxide. We assert that the strength of this exoskeleton could be attributed to its overall thickness, the epicuticle layer thickness, the existence of various minerals embedded in the exoskeleton, and its structural hierarchy. The thickness of the exoskeleton correlates to a higher number of chitin-fiber planes to increase fracture toughness, while the increased thickness of the epicuticle prevents hydration of the chitin-fiber planes. In previous studies, the existence of minerals in the exoskeleton has been shown to create a tougher material compared to non-mineralized exoskeletons.
Advisors/Committee Members: RajKumar Prabhu (committee member), Lakiesha N. Williams (committee member), Hongjoo Rhee (committee member), Mark F. Horstemeyer (committee member).

▼ Storage of canine packed red blood cells (pRBCs) can increase erythrocyte phosphatidylserine (PS) expression and eicosanoid concentrations. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of leukoreduction on erythrocyte PS expression and eicosanoid concentrations in stored units of canine pRBCs. Units of whole blood were leukoreduced (LR) or non-leukoreduced (non-LR), and stored (10 and 21 days) as pRBCs. Samples were collected at donation, and before and after a simulated transfusion. PS expression was measured by flow cytometry, and concentrations of arachidonic acid (AA), prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), prostaglandin D2 (PGD2), thromboxane B2 (TXB2), 6-keto-prostaglandin F1α (6-keto-PGF1α) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) were quantified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Our study demonstrated that PS expression on the surface of erythrocytes was not affected by leukoreduction or storage duration. Additionally, the passage of blood through a leukoreduction filter causes an immediate and dramatic increase in TXB2 and PGF2α concentrations, but these concentrations then decrease during subsequent storage. Despite leukoreduction, the concentration of 6-keto-PGF1α continued to increase during storage and simulated transfusion. Overall, when compared to non-LR units, the addition of a leukoreduction step prior to storage had a minimal impact on the accumulation of eicosanoids in canine units of pRBCs. While leukoreduction may be beneficial in other aspects of transfusion medicine, based on the results in this study, using leukoreduction to decrease PS expression and eicosanoid concentrations does not appear to be effective.
Advisors/Committee Members: John Thomason (chair), Todd Archer (committee member), Brittany Thames (committee member), Matthew Ross (committee member), Andrew Mackin (committee member).

► Soil quality and health indicators are necessary to monitor and improve the agricultural sustainability. This experiment was conducted at Mississippi State, MS between 2015…
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▼ Soil quality and health indicators are necessary to monitor and improve the agricultural sustainability. This experiment was conducted at Mississippi State, MS between 2015 and 2016. Soil samples were taken to determine bulk density, enzymatic activity, and total C and N. Results indicated greater bulk density, total C and N, and enzymatic activity for inter-row position than for within the corn row which was disturbed by strip-tillage. Soil bulk density tended to increase with soil depth; however, total C and N and total microbial activity decreased with depth both years. Total soil C and N increased from 2015 to 2016. Enzymatic activity was greatest at corn planting and decreased up thru four weeks apparently due to total C and N decomposition. Total C and N were related to bulk density and enzymatic activity because increase in soil C and N decreased the bulk density and increased the enzymatic activity values.
Advisors/Committee Members: Jac J. Varco (chair), Michael S. Cox (committee member), David Nagel (committee member), T. Casey Barickman (committee member).

► This study focused on science teaching that promoted the interest of African American teenage girls in the science classroom of an exemplary African American…
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▼ This study focused on science teaching that promoted the interest of African American teenage girls in the science classroom of an exemplary African American science teacher. It focused on, observed and examined the planning, teaching and learning strategies used by the science teacher. It also described what the science teacher experienced during her high school years, during college, during her teaching career.
The case study approach/method was used for this research to capture the description and examination of the practices of the science teacher. This research described how an African American female science teacher serves as a role model and influence a number of African Americans students, especially girls, who experience careers in science. During the interviews and observations the researcher used a system of record keeping for the study to include note taking, audio taping and pictures.
It is evident in the findings that the teacher in this study had qualities of an exemplary teacher according to the research. It is further evident that the teacher served as a role model for her students. The results indicated that the exemplary African
America science teacher was motivated by her former African American science teacher that served as a role model. The results in this study implied that the lack of the presence of more exemplary African American science teachers has an impact on the level of interest that African American students have in science. Further, it is implied that there is a great need for more practical research that may lead to closing the gap of missing African American science teachers.
Advisors/Committee Members: Jianzhong Xu (chair), James E. Davis (committee member), Linda T. Coats (committee member), D. Kay Brocato (committee member).

McMath, C. S. (2015). Promoting the interest of African American teenage girls in science: What can we learn from an exemplary African American science teacher?. (Doctoral Dissertation). Mississippi State University. Retrieved from http://sun.library.msstate.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-09132015-220051/ ;

Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):

McMath, Cynthia Stewart. “Promoting the interest of African American teenage girls in science: What can we learn from an exemplary African American science teacher?.” 2015. Doctoral Dissertation, Mississippi State University. Accessed March 19, 2018.
http://sun.library.msstate.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-09132015-220051/ ;.

MLA Handbook (7th Edition):

McMath, Cynthia Stewart. “Promoting the interest of African American teenage girls in science: What can we learn from an exemplary African American science teacher?.” 2015. Web. 19 Mar 2018.

Vancouver:

McMath CS. Promoting the interest of African American teenage girls in science: What can we learn from an exemplary African American science teacher?. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Mississippi State University; 2015. [cited 2018 Mar 19].
Available from: http://sun.library.msstate.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-09132015-220051/ ;.

Council of Science Editors:

McMath CS. Promoting the interest of African American teenage girls in science: What can we learn from an exemplary African American science teacher?. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Mississippi State University; 2015. Available from: http://sun.library.msstate.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-09132015-220051/ ;

► Individual variation and fitness are the cornerstones of evolution by natural selection. The trophic niche represents an important source of phenotypic variation on which…
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▼ Individual variation and fitness are the cornerstones of evolution by natural selection. The trophic niche represents an important source of phenotypic variation on which natural selection can act. Although individual variation is fundamental to species-level ecological and evolutionary change, individual variation is often ignored in population-level approaches to wildlife ecology, conservation and management. Failing to link individual resource use to fitness or to biological outcomes related to fitness limits us to managing for the average resource needs of a population, which may be insufficient for protecting the diversity of resource use within populations and the underlying eco-evolutionary processes that generate that diversity. My goals were to provide insights into the mechanisms that generate and constrain intrapopulation trophic niche variation, evaluate whether linkages exist between individual biological outcomes and variation in food habits across the range of resources consumed within generalist consumer populations and examine how that variation manifests in population-level responses.
I investigated the causes and physiological consequences of intrapopulation trophic niche variation in two generalist consumers, the American black bear (<i>Ursus americanus</i>) and brown bear (<i>U. arctos</i>) across three sites in British Columbia, CAN and at one site in Alaska, USA. My primary tools included stable isotope analysis to estimate diet, enzyme-linked immunoassay of hair to quantify the hormone cortisol for indexing physiological stress, and genetic analyses to identify individuals, species, and sex and to estimate ancestry. I found that individual differences in resource use can result in similar biological outcomes and that similar resource use can result in different biological outcomes. Intra- and interspecific competition, sex-based differences in nutritional and social constraints and annual variation in food availability all influenced trophic niche variation and the resultant biological outcomes. I also found evidence of a link between intrapopulation trophic niche variation and population genetic structure. My results highlight the diverse ecological drivers and diverse consequences of trophic niche variation, which further illuminates why the trophic niche is a nexus for eco-evolutionary dynamics.
Advisors/Committee Members: Jerrold L. Belant (chair), Eric D. Dibble (committee member), James A. Martin (committee member), Scott A. Rush (committee member).

► Lignin is the most abundant natural aromatic polymer on the earth. In this work, lignin properties were studied in order to explore its use…
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▼ Lignin is the most abundant natural aromatic polymer on the earth. In this work, lignin properties were studied in order to explore its use as a low cost carbon precursor for graphene production. Initial studies focused on kinetics of lignin pyrolysis using Kissinger method and ASTM E 1641 using thermogravimetry. The values obtained for kinetic parameters varied for the two methods and activation energy increased with increase in lignin purity. Lignin was solvent fractionated, using three organic solvents to extract the high molecular weight fraction suitable for the production of highly ordered graphene nano platelets. Acetone and Methanol were successful in sequential fractionation. Finally, polycrystalline graphene was produced using Protobind 1000 and lignosulfonate lignins by carbonization. The acid purified graphene had relatively less catalytic material remaining, and nitric acid purification was successful compared to HCl purification. However, HNO3 purification introduced minor structural damages to the sample.
Advisors/Committee Members: Dr. W. Todd French (committee member), Dr.. Billy B. Elmore (committee member), Dr. Hossein Toghiani (chair).

► Hurricane Isaacs landfall on the coast of Louisiana spawned a hydrological research project between Mississippi State University (MSU), the Northern Gulf Institute (NGI), and…
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▼ Hurricane Isaacs landfall on the coast of Louisiana spawned a hydrological research project between Mississippi State University (MSU), the Northern Gulf Institute (NGI), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the Lower Pearl River Basin (LPRB). Unmanned aerial systems data collection missions were scheduled every two months in the LPRB. This research provides a comparison between Landsat-8 imagery and corresponding UAS imagery with regards to the four remote sensing resolutions: spatial, spectral, radiometric, and temporal. Near-infrared (NIR) imagery from each platform was compared by land-water masks and statistical comparisons. A classification method known as natural breaks with Jenks Optimization determined threshold values between land and water for each image. Land-water masks revealed substantial differences between areas of land and water in comparing imagery. The overall difference in average land and water percentages between the two platforms was 1.77%; however, a larger percentage was 20.41% in a single comparison.
Advisors/Committee Members: Dr Jamie Dyer (chair), Dr Andrew Mercer (committee member), Dr Padmanava Dash (committee member).

► Wood crossarms provide an efficient economical, structural, and sustainable solution to the distribution and transmission of electric utilities. The majority of these crossarms are…
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▼ Wood crossarms provide an efficient economical, structural, and sustainable solution to the distribution and transmission of electric utilities. The majority of these crossarms are made from two species of wood, Douglas-fir (<I>Pseudotsuga menziesii</I>) and southern pine (<I>Pinus spp.</I>). In this study 210 solid-sawn wood crossarms (120 pieces of Douglas-fir/ 90 pieces of southern pine) were evaluated with non-destructive (NDTs) and destructive testing to determine if NDT could be used to predict crossarm performance. Three NDTs were conducted. Subsequently, destructive testing in which each specimen was broken in accordance to ASTM D-198 for modulus of elasticity (MOE) and modulus of rupture (MOR) was performed. After testing each specimen the non-destructive data was compared to the destructive testing results by mean comparisons and correlations. In this study it was found that the E-computer (NDT) produced the strongest correlation in both species to destructive values, especially MOE.
Advisors/Committee Members: Rubin Shmulsky (chair), Abdolhamid Borazjani (committee member), John J. Ramirez-Avila (committee member), Seamus F. Freyne (committee member).

► The electrochemical behavior of nickel (Ni) in different concentrations of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) was studied via cyclic voltammetry (CV) over a range of potentials…
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▼ The electrochemical behavior of nickel (Ni) in different concentrations of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) was studied via cyclic voltammetry (CV) over a range of potentials (0.0 V 3.0 V) at room temperature. The presented work displays novel experiments where external forcing by a platinum (Pt) electrode changed the proton concentration at a Ni electrode surface in order to control the frequency and magnitude of periodic oscillations produced.
When studying unique phenomena such as the Ni phenomena in this thesis, efficient, durable, and inexpensive technology is always beneficial. A coupled microelectrode array sensor or CMAS which has been used for over four decades to study pitting corrosion, crevice corrosion, intergranular corrosion, galvanic corrosion, and other heterogeneous electrochemical processes were fabricated in a novel, systematic, inexpensive, and time efficient process. The presented work shows how to make the CMAS and proved that they functioned properly.
Advisors/Committee Members: David O. Wipf (chair), Todd E. Mlsna (committee member), Dongmao Zhang (committee member).

► The form and function of freshwater mussel shell rings in the Yazoo Basin was examined in this thesis. General and controlled surface collections, excavations,…
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▼ The form and function of freshwater mussel shell rings in the Yazoo Basin was examined in this thesis. General and controlled surface collections, excavations, a seriation, and documentary research on flooding in the Yazoo Basin were completed. Four sites were investigated, including 22YZ513 (Rugby Farm), 22YZ605 (Light Capp), 22QU562 (Devils Race Track), and 22QU569 (Drew Smith), in an attempt to address whether shell rings were a functional byproduct of flood-prone environments. Results indicated that the two Quitman County sites were not shell rings, even though they appeared as such from aerial photographs, and that they represent a different ceramic cultural lineage than the two shell ring sites in Yazoo County. The two shell ring sites support hypothesis 1: that a functional relationship existed between shell rings and flood-prone environments during the Middle to Late Woodland periods in the Yazoo Basin.
Advisors/Committee Members: Dr. Evan Peacock (chair), Dr. James Hardin (committee member), Dr. Janet Rafferty (committee member).

► Due to the increased occurrence of flooding, biological by-products such as mycotoxins can cause serious health problems for homeowners. This study used two species…
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▼ Due to the increased occurrence of flooding, biological by-products such as mycotoxins can cause serious health problems for homeowners. This study used two species of fungi, <I>Aspergillus fumigatus</I> and <I>Stachybotrys chartarum</I>, which have been found within homes after flooding events. Two distinct types of mycotoxins can be produced; gliotoxin by <I>A. fumigatus</I> and trichothecenes by <I>S. chartarum</I>. A preliminary study evaluated four wall materials separately, for mycotoxin production and validation of techniques. Based on these results, the experimental study built replicated interior walls of gypsum wallboard, fiberglass batt insulation, wood stud, and oriented strand board; placed the walls in mold chambers on concrete pavers; flooded and drained the walls; and exposed these walls to <I>S. chartarum</I> for 65 days. All four building materials showed some level of mycotoxin present on all collection days. Gypsum wallboard and fiberglass batt insulation had the highest levels of trichothecenes and levels increased over time. The wood stud and oriented strand board also contained mycotoxins, but levels did not change over time. DNA concentrations were significantly higher on the batt insulation compared to wood products. However, DNA concentrations did not directly correlate to mycotoxin levels. These results support the removal of the batt insulation and gypsum wallboard from a home if a flooding event should occur. The finding of the mycotoxin on the wood products requires further research to better understand the mycotoxins properties on wood in order to ensure the safety of homeowners.
Advisors/Committee Members: Susan V. Diehl (chair), Dragica Jeremic Nikolic (committee member), Juliet D. Tang (committee member), C. Elizabeth Stokes (committee member), Abdolhamid Borazjani (committee member).

► Accurate replication of the genome is essential for reproduction in all cells. However, even under normal conditions, the replication machinery may face a variety of…
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▼ Accurate replication of the genome is essential for reproduction in all cells. However, even under normal conditions, the replication
machinery may face a variety of impediments that can prevent it
from completing its task. The mechanism by which cells
overcome these hurdles is likely to vary depending upon the
nature of the obstacle. Both UV irradiation and inactivation of
replicative proteins in DnaB can inhibit the progression of the
DNA replication machinery. However, the mechanism by which
replication recovers following UV irradiation is different from the
mechanism of recovery following the inactivation of the
replicative proteins. Previous results show that following UVinduced
damage in Escherichia coli, the replication fork is
maintained and protected from extensive degradation by RecF,
RecO, and RecR until replication can resume. By contrast,
replication does not recover following inactivation of the
replication protein DnaB, and the nascent DNA is extensively
degraded irrespective of whether RecF is present. In this study,
we verified DNA replication arrest by monitoring the total DNA
accumulation and rate of DNA synthesis following UV-induced
DNA damage and inactivation of thermosensitive replication
alleles, such as dnaB266. We measured the amount of nascent
DNA degradation, allowing us to determine how the newly
synthesized strand of DNA is affected following replication fork
arrest. Our data indicate that following inactivation of DnaB266,
the replication fork is not maintained and is subject to extensive
degradation. The degradation that occurs after DnaB266
inactivation is partially reduced in the absence of RecF-O-R,
RecJ, and ExoI, suggesting that DNA processing by these
enzymes occurs after DnaB arrest. In addition, two-dimensional
agarose gel analysis revealed that unique structural intermediates
accumulated following inactivation of DnaB266. These
observations indicate that the recovery of replication when
impeded by DNA lesions, such as those produced by UVirradiation,
is maintained and processed through mechanisms that
do not resemble the events occurring when replication proteins
are inactivated.
Advisors/Committee Members: Karen Coats (chair), Nara Gavini (committee member), John Boyle (committee member), Dwayne Wise (committee member), Donald Downer (committee member).

► Previous research suggests that cellular phone conversations or similar auditory/conversational tasks lead to degradations in visual processing. Three contemporary theories make different claims about the…
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▼ Previous research suggests that cellular phone conversations or similar auditory/conversational tasks lead to degradations in visual processing. Three contemporary theories make different claims about the nature of the degradation that occurs when we talk on a cellular phone. We are either: (a) disproportionately more likely to miss objects located in the most peripheral areas of the visual environment due to a reduction in the size of the attentional window or functional field of view (Atchley & Dressel, 2004); (b) more likely to miss objects from all areas of the visual environment (even at the center of fixation) because attention is withdrawn from the roadway, leading to inattention blindness or general interference (Strayer & Drews, 2006; Crundall, Underwood, & Chapman, 1999; 2002), or (c) more likely to miss objects that are located on the side of the visual environment contralateral to the cellular phone message due to crossmodal links in spatial attention (Driver & Spence, 2004).
These three theories were compared by asking participants to complete central and peripheral visual tasks (i.e., a measure of the functional field of view) in isolation and in combination with an auditory task. During the combined visual/auditory task, peripheral visual targets could appear on the same side as auditory targets or on the opposite side.
When the congruency between auditory and visual target locations was not considered (as is typical in previous research), the results were consistent with the general interference/inattention blindness theory, but not the reduced functional field of view theory. Yet, when congruency effects were considered, the results support the theory that crossmodal links affect the spatial allocation of attention: Participants were better at detecting and localizing visual peripheral targets and at generating words for the auditory task if attention was directed to the same location in both modalities.
Advisors/Committee Members: Gary L. Bradshaw (chair), J. Martin Giesen (committee member), Jason S. McCarley (committee member), Carrick Williams (committee member).

► Conservation subdivisions offer an alternative to large-lot residential developments along the urban fringe. These developments pride themselves on protecting ecologically sensitive land and providing…
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▼ Conservation subdivisions offer an alternative to large-lot residential developments along the urban fringe. These developments pride themselves on protecting ecologically sensitive land and providing an improved quality of life for residents. As suggested by Randall Arendt (1996), these goals are achieved by clustering homes on one portion of the site, while half or more of the buildable land area is designated as undivided, permanent open space. In order to gain information about the priorities and motivations of conservation subdivision residents in the Southeast United States, a survey was administered to homeowners within five conservation subdivisions. The results from this study revealed that open space, improved quality of life, and a strengthened community were important in each community. Additionally, homeowner satisfaction is prevalent among conservation subdivision residents. Lastly, demographic characteristics of these communities were analyzed. Recommendations are made for landscape architects and planning professionals for the future development of conservation subdivisions.
Advisors/Committee Members: Michael Seymour (chair).

Lucius, J. E. (2013). A community that is like family: Conservation subdivision residents' perceptions of their neighborhood. (Masters Thesis). Mississippi State University. Retrieved from http://sun.library.msstate.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-11262012-103033/ ;

Lucius JE. A community that is like family: Conservation subdivision residents' perceptions of their neighborhood. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. Mississippi State University; 2013. [cited 2018 Mar 19].
Available from: http://sun.library.msstate.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-11262012-103033/ ;.

Council of Science Editors:

Lucius JE. A community that is like family: Conservation subdivision residents' perceptions of their neighborhood. [Masters Thesis]. Mississippi State University; 2013. Available from: http://sun.library.msstate.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-11262012-103033/ ;

17.
Beattie, Rebecca Jane.
A COMPARISON BETWEEN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF EMPOWERMENT, TEACHING SOCIAL SKILL COMPETENCY, AND PARTICIPATIVE LEADERSHIP.

► The purpose of this non-experimental study was to investigate teacher empowerment and the participatory management within the schools cultures. Also, the study investigated the…
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▼ The purpose of this non-experimental study was to investigate teacher empowerment and the participatory management within the schools cultures. Also, the study investigated the teachers expectations of their students social skill competency needs and classroom behavioral practices within the existing school culture.
Pearson r coefficients were used to determine the degree of relationship between teachers perceived empowerment and school culture. Independent t-tests were run on the mean scores between middle school and high school teacher perception of autonomy and collaborative leadership. Responses to an open-ended questionnaire were analyzed as qualitative data on teacher expectations of student social skill competency. Descriptive profiles of the administrators strategies in the process of decision making and the formal structured participative management system were calculated. Cross tabulation of school, gender, and years of experience for the administrators participatory leadership was included.
After data was analyzed, a positive correlation was determined for teacher empowerment and school culture from both the middle school and the high school. The independent t-tests indicated statistically significant differences between the two groups of teachers for autonomy and collaborative leadership. The data from the open-ended questionnaire indicated that teachers expectations of social skills in the classroom include cooperation and self-control, but not necessarily assertion. Administrators from both the middle school and the high school agreed that there exists a degree of participatory management. The male administrators with more years experience indicated that explicit procedures for participatory management are only used some of the time and exist infrequently at their schools.
It was concluded that overall, the middle school fostered a school climate where teacher empowerment was facilitated by the administration and the teachers. Recommendations included a future study involving teacher empowerment in elementary schools and participatory leadership style in relationship to gender.
Advisors/Committee Members: Connie M. Forde (chair).

Beattie, R. J. (2009). A COMPARISON BETWEEN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF EMPOWERMENT, TEACHING SOCIAL SKILL COMPETENCY, AND PARTICIPATIVE LEADERSHIP. (Doctoral Dissertation). Mississippi State University. Retrieved from http://sun.library.msstate.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-04012009-153036/ ;

Beattie RJ. A COMPARISON BETWEEN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF EMPOWERMENT, TEACHING SOCIAL SKILL COMPETENCY, AND PARTICIPATIVE LEADERSHIP. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Mississippi State University; 2009. [cited 2018 Mar 19].
Available from: http://sun.library.msstate.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-04012009-153036/ ;.

Council of Science Editors:

Beattie RJ. A COMPARISON BETWEEN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF EMPOWERMENT, TEACHING SOCIAL SKILL COMPETENCY, AND PARTICIPATIVE LEADERSHIP. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Mississippi State University; 2009. Available from: http://sun.library.msstate.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-04012009-153036/ ;

18.
Walia, Gursimran Singh.
USING ERROR MODELING TO IMPROVE AND CONTROL SOFTWARE QUALITY: AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION.

► Software quality, or the lack thereof, is a well-known problem faced by software engineers. To address the problem of poor software quality, many approaches…
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▼ Software quality, or the lack thereof, is a well-known problem faced by software engineers. To address the problem of poor software quality, many approaches have been developed and evaluated through controlled experiments and case studies in both laboratory and real settings. Considerable effort has been devoted to identify methods to find and repair early life cycle faults i.e., actual mistakes recorded in a requirement or design document. One empirically proven fault-reduction approach is to use fault classification taxonomies to help developers identify different types of important faults. However, even when faithfully applying various empirically-validated techniques that allow developers to focus on faults, they do not help developers to find all types of problems. Furthermore, these techniques can only help detect the presence of faults and not their absence or provide insight into how many faults still remain. To augment the existing methods, and further improve software quality, my research developed and validated new approaches to fill in some of the gaps.
This dissertation involves developing and validating effective methods and tools for improving and measuring the quality of software artifacts. A major focus of this dissertation is to understand the thought process of developers so that software quality can be improved. Another focus of my research is to support software defect estimation post-inspection to manage software quality. This dissertation exploits the knowledge about software development errors (i.e., source of the faults) and using the error information to develop techniques that will help developers find and eliminate errors early in the software lifecycle process.
This dissertation research is multidisciplinary as it uses approaches that have been applied successfully in other domains and adapts them for the task of improving and managing software quality. This dissertation research added information from cognitive psychology research about human errors to extend taxonomies of software development errors, and also use the Capture-Recapture method (used by biologists and wildlife researchers) to support defect size estimates of software artifacts to manage the software inspection process.
Advisors/Committee Members: Jeffrey C. Carver (chair), Gary Bradshaw (committee member), Edward B. Allen (committee member), Thomas Philip (committee member).

► This dissertation is interested in explaining how and why the culture of family and society impacts the competitive advantage of organizations and nations. Central…
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▼ This dissertation is interested in explaining how and why the culture of family and society impacts the competitive advantage of organizations and nations. Central to such an explanation is the development of a theory of the family firm because that theory is a potential link between the four distinct systems, the family, organization, nation, and society. This dissertation consists of four essays, three theoretical and one empirical.
The first essay is theoretical; it argues that the formation of family and non-family firms depends on the family culture of the firms founders. The essay distinguishes between two family cultures: one supports the formation of family firms and another supports the formation of non-family firms. Accordingly, the essay provides a framework to understand family culture by using family concepts, such as marriage and love. The second essay is theoretical; it uses the developed framework in the first essay to understand the behavior and performance of family and non-family firms. Specifically, the second essay attempts to answer the questions of why and when a businesss owner maintains the ownership with the family and/or hires family managers rather than non-family managers, or vise versa.
The third essay is theoretical; it argues that the formation of family and non-family firms depends also on societal culture. Societies who endorse traditional and postmodern cultures support the formation of family firms because non-economic objectives have a higher priority than economic objectives. However, societies who endorse modern cultures support the formation of non-family firms because economic objectives have first priority rather than non-economic objectives. The fourth essay is empirical; it tests some of the generated research questions in the third essay. The fourth essay argues that nations are exposed to cultural competition where nations of similar cultures compete against each other. This essay finds that the family mode of governance is the most appropriate mode for nations competing in traditional societies, the non-family mode of governance is the most appropriate mode for nations competing in modern societies, and the state mode of governance is the most appropriate mode for nations competing in postmodern societies.
Advisors/Committee Members: Allison Pearson (committee member), Franz Kellermanns (committee member), Xiaohe Xu (committee member), Barbara Spencer (committee member), James Chrisman (chair).

Alwuhaibi, S. A. (2009). A CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE IMPACT OF FAMILY AND SOCIETY ON THE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE OF ORGANIZATIONS AND NATIONS. (Doctoral Dissertation). Mississippi State University. Retrieved from http://sun.library.msstate.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-04032009-145755/ ;

Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):

Alwuhaibi, Sami Abdallah. “A CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE IMPACT OF FAMILY AND SOCIETY ON THE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE OF ORGANIZATIONS AND NATIONS.” 2009. Doctoral Dissertation, Mississippi State University. Accessed March 19, 2018.
http://sun.library.msstate.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-04032009-145755/ ;.

MLA Handbook (7th Edition):

Alwuhaibi, Sami Abdallah. “A CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE IMPACT OF FAMILY AND SOCIETY ON THE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE OF ORGANIZATIONS AND NATIONS.” 2009. Web. 19 Mar 2018.

Vancouver:

Alwuhaibi SA. A CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE IMPACT OF FAMILY AND SOCIETY ON THE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE OF ORGANIZATIONS AND NATIONS. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Mississippi State University; 2009. [cited 2018 Mar 19].
Available from: http://sun.library.msstate.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-04032009-145755/ ;.

Council of Science Editors:

Alwuhaibi SA. A CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE IMPACT OF FAMILY AND SOCIETY ON THE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE OF ORGANIZATIONS AND NATIONS. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Mississippi State University; 2009. Available from: http://sun.library.msstate.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-04032009-145755/ ;

20.
Brown Burns, Annie Lou.
THE LOW PERCENTAGE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN FACULTY IN A SOUTHERN COMMUNITY.

► Community colleges are crucial to American social and economic progress. They provide access to higher education for millions who cannot afford to attend a…
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▼ Community colleges are crucial to American social and economic progress. They provide access to higher education for millions who cannot afford to attend a 4-year college or a university. For the past 20 years, there has been a consistent increase in enrollment in community colleges. This increase has included students of all ages and ethnic groups. While the African American student population in community colleges has increased as have other student populations, the percentage of African American instructors has not increased. Minority instructors and administrators in community colleges are not represented in numbers equivalent to minority student enrollment or to the minority population.
The focus of this research study is to examine the factors that have contributed to the low representation of African American instructors in community colleges. In particular, this study explores phenomenon that contribute to the lack of representative numbers of African American instructors in the classrooms of a southern community college. Participants interviewed for this study include community college students, instructors, counselors, and administrators. Interviews, observations, and document analyses were conducted over a 5-month period. Addressed in this study were the reasons for low representation of African American instructors, ways to increase the number of African American instructors, and the reasons African American instructors are desirable in community college classrooms.
Analysis of the data reveals factors that contribute to the low representation of African American instructors on community college campuses include (1) lack of competitive salaries, (2) lack of employment opportunities, (3) discriminatory hiring practices, (4) lack of desire or interest in the teaching profession, (5) lack of encouragement, (6) lack of mentors/role models, (7) inadequate pool of graduates/competition for graduate students, (8) unwelcoming campus climates, (9) lack of qualified candidates, (10) inadequate recruitment efforts, and (11) inability to retain African American instructors.
Advisors/Committee Members: Dr. James H. Adams (chair), Dr. James E. Davis (chair), Dr. William M. Wiseman (committee member), Dr. Anthony Olinzock (committee member).

► This thesis explores the Natchez Trace Parkway using the method of repeat photography to determine whether or not the design intent of the Trace has…
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▼ This thesis explores the Natchez Trace Parkway using the method of repeat photography to determine whether or not the design intent of the Trace has changed since its beginning. Based upon fifteen matched pairs of photographs, which are evaluated based on a content analysis matrix, the original design intent, recent design guidelines, and planned land use maps, the degree of change that has occurred along the Trace is measured. Time has wrought inevitable change along the Trace. The changes that have occurred indicate a further effort to preserve the original design intent of the Trace rather than a shifting of the design intent. No change in design intent is evident in the matched pairs of photographs.
Advisors/Committee Members: Wayne Wilkerson (chair), Stephen Cottrell (committee member), Michael Seymour (committee member).

► The overall purpose of this study is to estimate how the rise in grain prices (especially corn prices) induced by ethanol production impacts U.S.…
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▼ The overall purpose of this study is to estimate how the rise in grain prices (especially corn prices) induced by ethanol production impacts U.S. catfish industry. Using monthly data from January 1996 to December 2007, an ARDL model and bounds testing procedure were used. The existence of cointegration between the feed price and its regressors and between the farm price and its regressors was found. Results show that the short- and long-run feed price elasticity with respect to corn prices were 0.224 and 0.075, respectively. It was found that energy is more important to catfish feed production than to farm level catfish production, and is more important to processor level production than to farm level production.
Results further showed that catfish farmers will lose net returns because the estimated farm price elasticity with respect to feed prices was smaller than the necessary change that would keep net returns the same. The overall purpose of this study is to estimate how the rise in grain prices (especially corn prices) induced by ethanol production impacts catfish feed prices and catfish prices at the farm level. Using monthly data from January 1996 to December 2007, an ARDL model and bounds testing procedure were used to test the existence of cointegration between the variables of interest. The existence of cointegration between the feed price and its regressors and between the farm prices and its regressors was found. Estimation results show that the short- and long-run feed price elasticity with respect to corn prices were 0.224 and 0.075, respectively. Feed and farm price elasticities with respect to energy prices were highlighted. The results show that energy is more important to catfish feed production than to catfish production at the farm level, and energy is more important to catfish production at the processor level than to production at the farm level.
Advisors/Committee Members: Andrew Muhammad (chair), C. W. Herndon (chair), Daniel R. Petrolia (committee member).

Zheng, H. (2009). THE EFFECTS OF ETHANOL PRODUCTION ON THE U.S. CATFISH SECTOR. (Masters Thesis). Mississippi State University. Retrieved from http://sun.library.msstate.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-06292009-160322/ ;

Zheng H. THE EFFECTS OF ETHANOL PRODUCTION ON THE U.S. CATFISH SECTOR. [Masters Thesis]. Mississippi State University; 2009. Available from: http://sun.library.msstate.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-06292009-160322/ ;

► Ultraviolet light (UV) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) decrease eggshell bacteria. However, when combined, the optimum amount of each and effects on hatchability are unknown. In…
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▼ Ultraviolet light (UV) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) decrease eggshell bacteria. However, when combined, the optimum amount of each and effects on hatchability are unknown. In Experiment 1, when compared to other concentrations of H2O2 and lengths of UV, the combination of 1.5% H2O2 and 8 minutes of UV yielded optimum results with a 3 log10 CFU/egg reduction in bacteria on the eggshell. In Experiment 2, exposing eggs to this optimum combination yielded a 1000 fold reduction in eggshell bacteria but only a numerical increase in hatch of set and hatch of fertile. In Experiment 3, eggs exposed to repetitive treatments of H2O2 and UV yielded a 4 log reduction in eggshell bacteria but no differences in hatchability or chick characteristics. In conclusion, the combination of H2O2 and UV proved to be effective for eggshell sanitization, especially when used repetitively, and did not alter hatchability.
Advisors/Committee Members: Dr. Craig Coufal (committee member), Dr. David Peebles (committee member), Dr. Chris McDaniel (chair).

▼ With increased usage of glyphosate on transgenic crop varieties,
incidences of off-target deposition to sensitive crops has increased dramatically.
When glyphosate resistant crops are planted within short distances of nonglyphosate
resistant crops, there is an increased likelihood of having crop injury
due to glyphosate spray drift. Injury from these events may vary from minimal
visual injury to severe losses in crop yield. Assessment of these events is
difficult to achieve due to the large areas that may be affected and the natural
spatial variability that may be present. The increased availability of remotely
sensed data which may account for this spatial variability could result in more
accurate assessment of off-target deposition and may allow a better method to
predict the effects on crop yield. This research was conducted to determine if
remote sensing could be used to assess injury and possible reductions in corn
yield associated with a drift occurrence.
Advisors/Committee Members: Daniel B. Reynolds (chair), David R. Shaw (committee member), Alfred Rankins, Jr. (committee member), Lori M. Bruce (committee member).

► This study analyzed preferences for wetland-loss prevention in coastal Louisiana. Data were obtained through a contingent-valuation mail survey of a random sample of Louisiana…
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▼ This study analyzed preferences for wetland-loss prevention in coastal Louisiana.
Data were obtained through a contingent-valuation mail survey of a random sample of
Louisiana households. Results, based on 511 responses, indicate that respondents have a
strong preference for a short-run program (72.41% chose this program over a long-run
program or no action). Respondents that had higher incomes, were white, had prior
knowledge of ongoing restoration efforts, and had confidence in government were more
likely to support some program relative to no action, as were those citing hurricane,
environmental, and/or climate-change protection as their primary concern. Older
respondents and those with negative perceptions of climate change were more likely to
prefer the short-run over the long-run program. Median net present value of willingness
to pay (assuming 18.37% discount rate) was estimated at $17,491 per household for the
multinomial logit model and $3,307 under the Turnbull lower-bound method.
Advisors/Committee Members: Daniel R. Petrolia (chair), Keith H. Coble (committee member), Ardian Harri (committee member).

► Optical networks employing wavelength division multiplexing technology have been well recognized as the core networks for the next generation Internet. In such networks, any fiber…
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▼ Optical networks employing wavelength division multiplexing technology have been well recognized as the core networks for the next generation Internet. In such networks, any fiber cut or node failure may lead to huge data loss. Thus, reliability is of great importance in the design of modern high-speed networks. At the same time, traffic grooming is another important design objective since it addresses multi-granularity traffic. The traditional routing approaches with differentiated services do not consider the traffic grooming case or reconfiguration method. Therefore, they are not resource-efficient for the next generation Internet. In this dissertation, an effective reconfigurable traffic grooming with differentiated reliability scheme is proposed to efficiently use network resources. Compared with the conventional rerouting method, the proposed scheme makes the network more robust and immune from service interruptions. An integer linear programming (ILP) formulation is presented first. By solving the ILP formulation, an optimal solution is obtained for each incoming connection request. However, the solution is so time consuming, a heuristic algorithm is introduced to get an approximate optimal solution. The performance evaluation indicates that the connection blocking probability can be decreased greatly by the proposed scheme.
Advisors/Committee Members: Dr. Nicholas H. Younan (chair), Dr. Sherif Abdelwahed (committee member), Dr. Jenny Q. Du (committee member), Dr. James E. Fowler (committee member).

► The ultrastructural mechanism for strain rate sensitivity of collagenous tissue has not been well studied at the collagen fibril level. The objective is to…
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▼ The ultrastructural mechanism for strain rate sensitivity of collagenous tissue has not been well studied at the collagen fibril level. The objective is to reveal the mechanistic contribution of the collagen fibril to strain rate sensitivity. Collagen fibrils underwent significantly greater fibril strain relative to global tissue strain at higher strain rates. A better understanding of tendon mechanisms at lower hierarchical levels would help establish a basis for future development of constitutive models and assist in tissue replacement design.
High rate mechanical property of tendon was also studied. Tendon was compressed under high strain rate (550 /s) using a polycarbonate split Hopkinson pressure bar (PSHPB). The objectives are to investigate the tissue behavior of porcine tendon at high rates. Tendons high rate behavior was compared with brain and liver at both hydrated and dehydrated states to investigate how water content and ultrastructural affect high rate responses of soft tissues.
Advisors/Committee Members: Lakiesha N. Williams (chair), Jun Liao (committee member), Mark Horstemeyer (committee member), Jennifer L. Wardlaw (committee member).

► In this work, the simulation of monotonic fracture in ductile metals was studied and a method of predicting damage-based fracture propagation was introduced. Traditional…
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▼ In this work, the simulation of monotonic fracture in ductile metals was studied
and a method of predicting damage-based fracture propagation was introduced.
Traditional methodologies for predicting stable crack growth were investigated, and an
error analysis was performed to show the suitability of the fracture simulation method
chosen for this study. J2 plasticity was investigated for its applicability in predicting crack
advance direction for mode-I and mixed-mode simulations. A two parameter crack
advance criterion was introduced, and crack propagation simulations were performed to
show the suitability of the new fracture criterion that is dependent on damage. J2
plasticity was modified in an attempt to capture the damage mechanisms occurring in
front of the crack tip. The end result of this research is a computational tool that is
capable of predicting the crack propagation path based on physical and measurable
material parameters without knowledge of the crack trajectory a priori while also
allowing the constitutive model for the material response to be readily changed.
An error analysis was also performed on the existing equations of crack surface
displacements for symmetric cracks emanating from a circular hole in an infinite plate
subjected to remote stress and stress applied to a segment of the crack surface. New
equations were developed for crack surface displacements for symmetric cracks
emanating from the circular hole in an infinite plate subjected to a remote stress.
Advisors/Committee Members: Philip M. Gullett (chair), Douglas J. Bammann (committee member), Ioana Banicescu (committee member), James C. Newman, Jr. (committee member), Seth F. Oppenheimer (committee member), Mark M. Rashid (committee member).

► This study was performed to characterize and understand static loading capacities of the T-shaped, end-to-face, mortise-and-tenon joints in pine plywood and oriented strandboard (OSB),…
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▼ This study was performed to characterize and understand static loading capacities of the T-shaped, end-to-face, mortise-and-tenon joints in pine plywood and oriented strandboard (OSB), and to develop mechanical models to predict its tensile, moment, and torsional resistance capacities.
Results of the study indicated that the tensile resistance of a stapled-and-glued mortise-and-tenon joint in pine plywood and OSB ranges from 505 to 1933 lb. and 306 to 845 lb., respectively; the moment resistance ranges from 780 to 4428 lb.-in. and 612 to 2309 lb.-in., respectively; and the torsional resistance ranges from 598 to 2292 lb.-in. and 439 to 1260 lb.-in., respectively.
The mechanical models proposed in this study were experimentally validated. The tensile, moment, and torsional resistances of a T-shaped, end-to-face, stapled-and-glued, mortise-and-tenon joints can be estimated based on knowing basic material properties of single-staple tensile, lateral shear resistance, and material end-to-face glue bonding tensile strength and shear strength.
Advisors/Committee Members: Jilei Zhang (chair), David Jones (committee member), Shane Kitchens (committee member).